C2C Day Five - Grasmere to Patterdale
After a proper full English at the YHA in Grasmere, I took a few moments to stretch out my Achilles and back—both were still grumbling from the previous day's efforts. Thankfully, once I got going, everything loosened up nicely.
Not long into the walk, I had a rather amusing encounter. The road ahead was marked closed, but I figured that was more of a “closed to vehicles” kind of situation. Turns out, it was actually for a “Jetpatcher” truck—a beast of a thing, spraying grit and tar to fill potholes with all the subtlety of a jet engine.
The driver at the front eventually waved me through, but the poor chap at the rear, fully geared up with ear defenders and completely focused on his task, hadn’t clocked me at all. When I cheerfully waved and shouted “Hi,” he very nearly levitated on the spot. Let’s just say his expression made it very clear he’d be having words with the guy up front later…
The path out of Grasmere begins pleasantly enough, giving the legs a chance to settle into a rhythm… until you hit a fork in the road. There it was: the classic walker’s dilemma—a Y-junction in the trail. Left or right?
Naturally, I consulted the voice of reason in my pocket: the Sat Nag. With supreme confidence (and absolutely no warning), it directed me left. So off I went, blissfully unaware that I was choosing the harder of the two options. The path soon rewarded my decision with a wonderfully steep finale—the kind that has you questioning life choices, breakfast, and gravity all in equal measure.
Cresting that final climb, I was rewarded with my first glimpse of Grisedale Tarn—a silver disc nestled in the folds of the fells, still and quiet beneath a soft breeze. I paused to catch my breath (and give my thighs a talking-to) and took a couple of photos, which really don’t do it justice. There’s something timeless about that spot—like the lake’s been waiting there for centuries just for people like me to puff their way up and say, “Wow".
This was also the first section of the Coast to Coast that I walked completely on my own. Plenty of hikers were around—passing nods, a few brief hellos—but I didn’t fall in with anyone. It was just me, the trail, and the soundtrack of boots on gravel, distant sheep, and the occasional gust of wind.
It was peaceful. And just past the tarn, with that quiet solitude around me, a bigger question crept in: What am I actually hoping to get from all this?
I cast my mind back to my early twenties, when I did most of my hiking—back when blisters were badges of honour and knees didn’t creak with every descent. What was it that drew me in back then?
Eventually, I found the words for my thoughts
Physically challenging, Mentally cathartic, Soulfully fulfilling.
And you know what? The Lake District has already delivered on all three. The rest of the Coast to Coast walk? That’s just gravy.
As I descended through Grisedale Valley, the views opened up gloriously—but so did the awareness that I’d made a bit of a rookie error. I’d forgotten to put sunscreen on my neck and arms. It wasn’t until I felt that all-too-familiar tingle of overcooked skin that I realised... the damage was already done. Let’s just say I’m now radiating heat like a human toaster.
I reached Patterdale around midday, ready to celebrate the day’s walk with something cold and well-earned. My heart sank when I passed the White Lion and saw Wednesday’s opening hours: 2 till 10. A cruel twist of timing.
Undeterred (and slightly desperate), I tried my luck just a little farther down the road at the Patterdale Hotel—and jackpot! They were open, welcoming, and poured me a perfectly chilled Wainwright Amber. It tasted like pure, hoppy victory.
Now, I’m officially on a “rest” day with the family… which began with being roped into a competitive kickabout (George takes no prisoners), and tomorrow I’ve apparently signed up for swinging from ropes in an airborne assault course. My daughter is absolutely buzzing for me to join her. My legs are questioning everything.
No rest for the Coast to Coaster, it seems...
No entry for tomorrow as I will be off the trail with my family. Back the day after going from Patterdale to Shap!